Playing With Fire
by Alien-Queen-Stan
Summary: She had never wanted to be in this position. She had just been trying to keep her head down and pay her bills on time. Life didn't seem to care though and she supposes she did bring this on herself. Or alternatively how Solana gets roped into kinda-sorta joining the League of Villains because some rag doll looking asshole couldn't leave her alone. (reposted to fix format)
1. Chapter 1

Solana had been having a shit day. Working at a café doesn't sound stressful on paper but they sure did leave some things out when she had applied for the position. Like how horrible the customers were for starters. She had worked in customer service jobs before so she was used to the regular horror stories and had some first-hand experiences. These customers, however, blew everything she thought she knew out of the water.

The café was in a higher end ward so maybe that was the issue? After all, people who never had to work in the service industry tended to treat those who did pretty poorly from her observations and lived experience.

'Funny how money makes people forget basic human decency,' she thought bitterly to herself as she blew a stubborn strand of her curly hair from her face and continued her walk home.

Of course, if the issue had just been the customers Solana would've been able to roll her eyes and not let it get to her. She also had to deal with coworkers who were slacking off or were far too invested in her personal life It was like they lived vicariously through others to deal with the daily monotony of their own lives. All of that wasn't even taking into account how this job could barely cover her rent in one of the cheapest wards but if she thought too long about that one she would just stress herself out more than she already was.

As Solana was drowning in her own self-pity on her walk home the sight of a familiar bar caught her eye. In her ward, there were bars within walking distance of nearly everyone's home with this one being no exception. She figured tomorrow was her day off and she had nothing to do, if she got too blitzed the walk home was only a block or two away, so she might as well go in for a drink or two. She had been to this one a time or two when going out with friends. Briefly, she wondered how she turned into the type of person who went to a bar alone but after today, she decided she was more than willing to be the person who drank alone.

Walking in, she recognized some of the regulars as people she's seen around the ward before and gave a quick hello and polite nod before taking her place at the bar.

She made small conversation with the bartender, having spoken with him a time or two before from her previous visits, as they made her drink. During a lull in the conversation, the T.V. in the corner grabbed her attention and she couldn't help but scoff.

Some hero had been given the limelight for bringing in some petty thief in the ward. The fight had been captured by the news reporters as it leveled multiple apartment complexes, businesses, and infrastructure. Over the years, governments have devised systems and ways of dealing with the destruction that came with hero and villain fights but still, the whole thing seemed excessive. And maybe that was the intention.

Heroes around this ward didn't tend to stick around long. As soon as they got a significant amount of spotlight from the media they would transfer to whatever hero agency would take them.

'Can't say I'm too sad to see them leave though,' she thought as she took a sip of her drink.

"What, not a fan of heroes?" She heard a teasing voice to her left question her. She turned and raised her brow at the man sitting a few seats down from her. He wasn't someone she recognized ever being in these parts before and he…certainly didn't look like someone she could've easily overlooked. The staples and burn marks that littered his skin left her with a few questions that she didn't think she wanted to hear the answers to.

"Can't say that I am," she said as she glanced around the bar noting that the bartender had moved on to attend to their other duties and the rest of the patrons were either too far away or too blitzed to hear their conversation.

"Oh? And why's that? You some type of villain?" He questioned moving closer to her spot with a smirk on his lips and humor in his eyes as if the question had been some type of joke between old friends.

She groaned internally. Talking with some stranger, in general, hadn't been something she was interested in, let alone talking about heroes and her dislike of them. It always tended to rub people the wrong way and ended with her being lectured about how wonderful heroes were, as if she was just some punk kid who didn't know up from down.

"I'm not stranger to the folk," she began slowly, shifting her gaze to just above his shoulder. This ward wasn't doing too hot economically speaking and many of those who lived here were lower on the ladder as far as their socioeconomic status went. With this type of situation always came an increase in crime and this ward wasn't an exception. Gangs were fairly prevalent in the area and growing up she had a few friends and family members who were involved in that type of lifestyle.

"I just find the idea of peace symbols made from violent acts to be… the weirdest contradiction," she finally explained trying her best to not to step on any toes with her statement. She really wasn't looking for an argument.

"Ooo, I like your vocabulary, quite the eloquent little thing," he teased as his grin grew bigger and he leaned in closer to her.

Well… that hadn't been the response she was expecting.

"It means I haven't drank enough to be having this conversation in the first place," she mumbled taking another sip of her drink as if to prove her point.

That got a chuckle out of him.

"Don't be like that. I'm just tryna pick your brain, no harm in that. Now, why do you care if villains get roughed up a bit? They knew what they were doin' and what they were in for when they broke the law," He said. She really couldn't make heads or tails of this guy. His whole demeanor was nonchalant as if he could care less but his eyes held an intensity and focus on her that was downright unnerving.

"I'm not saying I necessarily agree with what villains do – don't get it twisted. All I'm sayin is… well, I guess it's more about the impact these types of things have on the people that see em. Or like how these heroes ain't really effective at actually getting to the root of the problem," she began, trying to find the right words, "Kids in this ward are used to seeing their family and friends, or just folks they see on the streets, be beaten and hauled off. They're used to the destruction that comes with that too. How many families are homeless cuz of this stunt? How many family businesses got destroyed? Most people in this ward are already struggling financially now they gotta deal with whatever damages come from these fights. You think that ain't gunna make people feel some type of way? That they ain't gunna be resentful? I guess what I'm sayin is that I might not agree with it, but I'm not gunna judge someone too harshly when they gotta deal with those types of situations. It's not just black and white and all of these situations shouldn't just be boiled down to just heroes versus villains; there's more at play here," she finished. She had been rambling near the end with her hands moving every which way to try and emphasize her points. She felt embarrassed at how impassioned she had become talking to this stranger. She turned in her seat to face away from him with a slight blush coating her cheeks as she finished her drink off.

Facing away from him she missed the contemplative look that crossed his face as he processed what she said. The few moments of silence that followed had her hoping he caught on and that the conversation was over. She should've known she wasn't that lucky.

"Fixing people ain't really in the job description for heroes, ya know," he finally said. He spoke with something softer than the arrogance and blasé attitude that his previous words had all but been dripping in. The change caused her to look back at him. Her lips pursed as she eyed him for any type of sincerity. She wasn't about to waste her breath on someone who wasn't really interested in what she had to say.

While he hadn't moved and he was still casually perched in his spot, there was a strain in his body language and an attentiveness in his eyes that suggested that his focus was zeroed in on her. He seemed genuinely curious to hear her response.

Letting out a sign and praying to whatever God was listening that he wasn't about to have an aneurysm over her next words, she decided to humor him.

"Never said it was. But why does that mean they shouldn't have to take responsibility for the impact they have on the people they're supposed to be saving? Why are they being put on these pedestals to be praised and adored when, at best, they're just glorified police? I don't see the point in it. Not to mention a lot use this ward to climb the ladder so they can land gigs at agencies that pay more. It's like we're just a second thought. So I guess I understand why they're not interested in addressing those types of problems, their whole system requires villains to exist and people to be suffering for them to get paid. But why I gotta praise someone who sees my struggle as nothing more than a come up?"

As she watched him work through what she was saying she was hoping he understood. She was so used to being dismissed and written off, to just have one person actually get it would lift a weight off her shoulders. Her mama would be so disappointed she was putting so much stock into what this random stranger thought. He was just some boy, after all. He probably wasn't even from around here. Why should she care what he thought?

"Some people might say you're a villain sympathizer if you go around talking like that," he said, bringing her out of her internal turmoil. It was a statement that didn't suggest he felt any particular which way about what she said. She couldn't help but feel grateful to hear the neutrality, after having her statements start fights with others for so long, she was willing to take whatever indifference he offered.

"You're acting like I'm preaching on some corner here, you started this conversation with me. You didn't even have the decency of introducing yourself first," she teased with a slight smile.

"Oh, of course, where are my manners?" he played along, "they call be Dabi," he finished with a smirk as he grabbed her hand in a firm grip.

"'They'? How vague. Well it's been a pleasure Dabi but I think I've had my fill of conversation for the day," she dismissed as she rose to her feet and prepared to leave.

"That's no fun. We were just getting to the good stuff," He huffed as he watched her collect her belongings and begin to move towards the exit.

"Besides, you're one to talk about decency when you didn't even give me your name."

She paused by the door and turned towards him. Sure enough that cocksure grin from before was in place and his eyes were dancing with mirth.

"You don't really look like you're from around here, stick around and maybe I'll be inclined to tell you," she said with a smirk of her own before heading down the road to her apartment complex.

The encounter had completely escaped her mind in the following days. Her life falling back into her regular routine and the memory of Dabi all but forgotten. A few weeks after however, when the identity of the Hero Killer and his motivations had been made public knowledge she ran into him again. Funny how life worked like that.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two days after the Hero Killer had been captured that he stumbled back into her life.

For a guy who had such a bold look she had almost completely walked right past him that day. She had been so absorbed with her phone that she hadn't looked up during her walk home from the grocery store to notice the man at all until he called out to her.

"You look like you could use some help."

Dabi observed the girl as she jumped at hearing his lazy drawl so close to her. She whipped around to face him and he couldn't help but notice that the golden hue her deep complexion had the last time had paled considerably once she was able to piece together who he was.

It hadn't been Dabi's intention to spook the little thing. He figured his people skills could use some work, not like his appearance helped matters either. He was starting to feel frustrated and antsy for having come here to begin with. What was the point if he was just going to fuck things up within the first five seconds? He just hadn't been able to get this girl out of his head since their conversation. It was like an annoying itch he'd been dying to scratch. He's never really been one for self control either so that's how he found himself wandering around this ward back to bar he had met her at.

He had never met a civilian who had so much disdain for heroes. Her words had been practically dripping in contempt and it had caught his attention. Not to mention a week or so after running into her and being unable to forget their conversation, the Hero Killer and his ideology had been brought to the light which he gravitated towards as well. They were both impassioned speakers and he found himself agreeing with every word they said.

He couldn't help but imagine them as prophets for the modern era, screaming to the masses revelations that they would rather not hear. But Dabi was listening. He heard their warnings loud and clear. He knew what had to be done. Dabi actually couldn't help but feel grateful for the both of them. He had always held disdain for the society they lived in but he could never quite put it into words. He always missed a central theme to the issue, and now, with the both of them providing him with the vernacular he lacked his body finally knew a world that could hold it. He finally had an obtainable purpose again, and one of the muses for his new work was the little thing standing right in front of him who he didn't even have a name for.

Solana had nearly dropped a few of the bags she had been carrying when she heard him. As she eyed the man questioningly she couldn't help the anxious feeling that overtook him as to why he was back. She had never expected to see this man again.

"You sure a jumpy little thing, huh?" Solana couldn't help the annoyed look that overtook his face at his far too casual tone. She wasn't one for formalities but the fact he was acting like they were on good terms or something irritated the hell out of her.

" Can I help you with something?" She asked impatiently and internalized a groan when she saw a slow grin spread across his face at her temperament.

He didn't mean to piss her off none, he just found the little spitfire to be endlessly amusing.

"That's what I asked you actually before you nearly fainted. What was it, your heart skip a beat when you saw me?" He knew he was pushing her buttons but when he saw her cheeks puff up in irritation at his comment, for some reason he couldn't find himself feeling all that bad about it.

"Sorry, Raggedy Ann, but that's a no. More like you should learn how to properly greet someone, pretty sure we had a conversation about manners last time we ran into each other. I see you still ain't got none," She hated how easily it was for him to get her talking. She hated even more that she got some amount of satisfaction from their banter.

"Oof, Raggedy Ann? Really? You must be tryna hurt me or something. Sides' last I remember we were talking about something a little more important than manners," he trailed off as he leaned against the wall of the bar eyeing her reaction. Solana couldn't help but be on edge at the way his sentence had trailed off.

She was very much aware of what they had discussed. However, it wasn't really a topic she wanted to start up again with him, especially out in public after the Hero Killer had entered the public's eye. How convenient he chose this time to pop up again she couldn't help but think bitterly.

"Well, nice of you to stop by but I gotta get going. Frozen food an all, not really wanting it to thaw on the sidewalk..," she rushed as she went to continue on her way home hoping and praying to any deity that he wouldn't ignore the social ques and leave her be. She had been so close to making it home without incident too.

Of course, this man had already proven to be social inept so looking back she isn't sure why she thought a prayer would be enough to deny him his nature.

"Glad this conversation came full circle, like I said earlier you look like you could use some help," Dabi said as he moved forward to reach for the bags in her hands.

"Oh, and what are you just some type of good Samaritan or somethin'?" she huffed as she twisted away from him and shooting him a dubious look.

"You say it like it's hard to believe or something."

"Look, just cut the shit. Why're you here?" The agitation in her tone caused Dabi to pause. His cocksure grin falling as he took in how she looked like she was ready to bolt any second.

"You seen the news?" To be honest Dabi wasn't really sure how to answer her question. He had just known this was were he needed to be, to be talking to the only one of his muses that wasn't locked up in a cell. It was the closest he could get on some direction with how to best fulfill Stain's legacy and, coincidentally, her own ambition. Besides, who would know better about what the Hero Killer would want than someone who seemed to have come to the same conclusions on their own as the man? He figured that isn't really something she would be to keen to hear though.

Solana had been slow to answer his question as she glanced around to see if anyone was within earshot of their conversation.

"Well, what about it…?" she finally grumbled, she knew she wasn't going to like wherever he was going with this.

"Interesting is all," he lazily replied shoving his hands into his pockets and attempting to look as disinterested in her reaction as possible,"was just wondering if you ever considered doing something like he did."

As much as the rest of his body language feigned apathy his sharp eyes were trained on her and her alone. She felt smothered by all the attention and was quick to jump to the defensive.

"Look if you're tryna insinuate -"

"Not insinuating nothin' just pointing out facts," he said before movement and a chorus of voices a few shop fronts down caught his attention. Three men had exited the barber shop and their loud presence reminded him of the fact that they were discussing killing heroes in a fairly public place often patrolled by said heroes "Look doll, this isn't really the best conversation to be having in public like this -"

"Doll? Who you think you talking too, I don't know you like that"

Dabi couldn't help but notice that the pet name had been the only objection she had to his statement.

"Well, you never did give me a name," he said slyly and took immense pleasure in the exaggerated eye roll she gave him in reply.

"So you expecting me to take you home or something? You ain't even buy me a drink or nothing….," she protested lamely. She couldn't really find it in her to truly object to the prospect of discussing the topic with him. His interest in her opinions intrigued her and she wanted to know where he was going with this.

"Hmmm, I think I could make it worth your while, Sweetheart."

His grin would be the death of her, she was certain of that now. His whole demeanor screamed danger, she should be high tailing it out of there in the opposite direction. Move in with a friend or something until he stopped sniffing around the ward.

Her momma had always told her that her curiosity would bite her in the ass one day, today seemed as good a day as any other. Besides, she's always been pretty good about ignoring red flags though, so why would she stop now?

"Solana is my name, so you can stop with the obnoxious pet names." She huffed as she offered some of her grocery bags for him to take.

"Sol, huh? I like that."

The grin he gave her made him look like some big bad wolf that was getting ready to eat her alive.


	3. Chapter 3

She was an idiot. She knew it, she was certain the stranger walking next to her knew it, hell, whatever God was listening without a doubt knew it. Solana had done plenty of stupid things in her years, nobody could tell her nothin when she was younger and it put her in numerous mishaps throughout her life, but bringing home some stranger who apparently had been looking for her in order to talk about a mass murderer had to take the cake. Not to mention the name he had given her back at the bar had obviously been a fake, she had to restrain herself from scoffing when presented with it, and it wasn't like she had bothered to text her friends or families to give them the run down so that should she wind up missing they would know who to go after. Hell, she wasn't just seeing red flags, she was taking a tour through the factory where they make the damn things.

Throughout the walk to her apartment there had been a heavy silence between the two, both lost in their own heads of how the events to come would play out. The only interruptions came from traffic and the other inhabitants of the ward. Some stopped them to say hello or exchange short pleasantries with her. Solana and her siblings had practically been raised by, or alongside, a majority of these folks so it wasn't all that unusual for her to be stopped on the street by them. While she wasn't much for small talk she couldn't find it in herself to resent these interactions, strangers and neighbors quickly became friends and family here when you grew up sharin a yard with more than nineteen other families. At this point she could know where someone could be found based on the time and could practically predict what it was the grown folk would say when she ran into them on her daily route through the ward. Plenty of invites to cookouts, birthday parties, celebrations, and special occasions would be exchanged and the elders of the community always saw it fit to continue to bestow the wisdom they've probably repeated damn near a hundred times each to all of the children on the block throughout their lives.

She wasn't sure if they had just forgotten they had told her these things in their old age or just believed the message was something she needed to be hit over the head with every time they made eye contact with her. Either way, Solana knew better than to rush them. Going about these conversations on this day she couldn't shake how normal the whole thing felt, as if she could squint just right and the stranger standing next to her would no longer exist. He had watched the interactions silently with heavy lidded eyes, only responding when he was addressed and even then the response didn't seem to go over a three syllable answer.

She supposed she could count her blessings, while a bit stiff and rude he didn't seem to want to harm anyone and now if she went missing at least someone would be able to know something about who she was last with even if it was just how they had complained about the 'youth these days' due to his unkempt appearance.

While Solana had attempted to look everywhere but at him throughout the walk, she could practically feel her shoulders struggle with the weight of his stare on her person. His eyes were burning a hole in the side of her head and a scathing demand that he keep his eyes to himself was on the tip of her tongue. She wasn't sure how she managed to but she swallowed the retort, and a bit of her pride, in favor of avoiding conversation all together. She wasn't trying to give him any type of satisfaction at getting a reaction out of her, that and she knew the second she said something he'd see it as an invite and she wouldn't be able to get him to stop talking.

The ancient apartment complex Solana lived in usually was able to provide some sort of comfort for her but as they neared it her anxiety only rose. When she had finally been able to get the key in the door of her unit she had gone straight to putting her groceries away while Dabi wandered around the place. She wanted to cherish these last few moments of normalcy before he did whatever it was he was going to do.

She had made sure to keep him in her peripheral as he moved about the space. He had been looking at pictures and picking up whatever she had lying around. It was odd seeing him in her space, it was as if someone or something had misplaced him. She supposed in the right context his appearance wouldn't be so attention grabbing but the image of him in this space only produced a myriad of contradictions.

"So, you live alone?" he questioned as he picked a little red book off of the coffee table, he had flipped it in his hands a few times before continuing on in his exploration.

"That's really none of your business," Solana coolly responded as she regarded him through narrowed eyes. Her response had caused him to look up from whatever it was that had caught his eye and he glanced her way with a raised brow. He was vaguely impressed, she could probably cause a cold front with the glare she was sending his way. What wasn't so impressive was the rest of the visual she provided. Her full lips were pulled down damn near into a pout and he didn't really think someone who only came up to his chest could ever really qualify as intimidating. She reminded him of an angry kitten, all puffed fur and bravado, he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to take her seriously like that. Dabi's lips quirked up but by some miracle he had been able to prevent himself from giving her a full on shit eating grin. He was a guest after all, besides it wouldn't do well to have her already yelling at him before he even got a chance to actually talk things through with her. Later he'd work with her on actually being able to intimidate someone. It wouldn't do well if she got snatched up because someone wanted to take a kitten home with them.

"Alright, alright," he conceded hands raised in surrender, "I didn't mean nothin by it. Just tryna make conversation."

A soft hum had been her only response as she leaned against the kitchen counter and continued to eye him. Her skin was still crawling at letting some stranger up in her home, she really didn't let just anybody in her space like this on the regular. Her home was an escape from the rest of the world, a place for her to not have to constantly be thinking about her next move, a place were she could just exist and that was enough. Letting someone she didn't know into the space would without a doubt fuck with her peace of mind, some spot in the house would become associated with them or something they said that irritated her and it would be such a hassle to go about erasing the reminder of their presence. Too bad her curiosity won out over her common sense, she had some questions she wanted answered from the guy too. He had blown into her life from nowhere and he took an interest in her for what reason? The scaring covering his body, the fake name, the secrecy of what he wanted to discuss, as much as it set off all the alarms in her head to get the hell outta dodge she couldn't help but want to know the answers. She was certain she could handle her own well enough should he try anything, but there was still the issue of if he had a quirk or not and that unknown factor in all of this had her on edge.

When it was clear that Solana wasn't going to say anything else to Dabi for the time being, he went back to his exploration of her home. He had already known the answer to his question anyways, the apartment was clearly a one bedroom and he hadn't come across any pictures or items that suggested someone aside from her lived there.

Watching him move about the space had her wondering what kind of narrative he was forming about her. The space was filled with the echoes of memories from throughout the years she's lived there and she wondered how they were translated by a stranger, what he could possibly decode about her from the pictures, half written letters, unopened bills, and scratches on the hardwood in the living room. It wasn't much, a bit run down if Solana was being honest, but it was her's and that made all the difference in the world. Observing what he took more time examining and what he overlooked completely had her wishing they were in a different situation, one where she could pick his brain without being wary of what she would find.

Growing tired of the silence she finally spoke up, "So, you gunna tell me what you hunted me down for or are you more interested in the floor plan of the place?"

" Well, like I said earlier I wanted to talk," he said easily as he sat himself on her couch.

Irritation rose at his non-answer, she had been hoping he could drop the false pretenses and just get to the point. He had mentioned the Hero Killer earlier, so he was seeking some kind of answer from her pertaining to him but what that answer was she wasn't sure. She searched his eyes, trying to gauge his own feelings on the topic so she could find an answer that would be agreeable enough for him without having to show her true feelings.

Unable to find much of anything from his stoic demeanor she settled on playing dumb, "You want my opinion? On the whole Hero Killer thing, I mean…"

"Do you have one?"

She hesitated, her eyes flickering across his facial features trying to pick up the slightest movement that would give away whatever game it was he was playing.

"Why you interested in whatever I have to say? I'm no one important so it's not like my take really matters."

Dabi eyed her for a moment, to anyone else her statement would've been true. She was just some girl and with no social status or flashy quirk, she could easily be forgotten in a crowd. But for him, Solana and Stain had both blown into his life without any type of warning during a time he had no clue what he was to do with himself. He had been at a crossroads, unsure of where to go, and they had given him the answers and exposed him to a higher calling. If he was to see to it that both Stain and her truths were manifested then he was going to need her opinion on the whole ordeal.

" You and Stain are the only people I've seen call out heroes and the society built around praising them as false idols. He went about actually trying to change things but you held back. Why? Too scary for you?" he teased.

She glowered at him from her spot, damn near seething that he had the audacity to talk like she was just twiddling her thumbs and letting shit happen. Like she wasn't out in the streets doing something. She had been working her ass off for this community and these people for years now tryna make sure the people in this ward were able to flourish.

"First, just cuz you don't know what I do, don't mean I'm not doing nothing, so watch your tone with me. You don't even know what you're speakin on." She had been surprised that she was able to keep a level voice, her pride was not having it with his slick accusation. Seeing the smug look on his face she knew he was pushing her buttons intentionally but she wasn't about to have some ignorant person speak on her name like that, "Secondly, just because the press ain't flocking to me don't make my work any less beneficial to the realities people in this ward face."

Throughout the berating Dabi couldn't stop the smirk from growing on his face. She was all claws and hissing now but he was finally getting her to talk so the methods didn't really matter in the end.

"Of course, my bad, Sweetheart." She huffed and crossed her arms at his easy response hoping the staples across his face ached from his stupid grin.

"Don't play games with me, if you got something to say just say it," she paused and took a measured breath as she worked out how to continue, "If you really want my opinion I think his methods leave a lot to be desired."

"Oh? And why's that?" the smirk had fallen from its place and his eyes had taken a sharp edge to them at the criticism. He hadn't been expecting that.

Solana's head tilted as she thought through how to word her answer, "Well, just from a...I don't know, engagement standpoint, his message should've been more clear from the jump. Only when he got captured did he give people any kind of explanation so all this time his work was just being written off as the result of some run of the mill villain and not for what it truly was. Whatever legacy he wanted to leave is gunna be hurt by that oversight."

Glancing back at Dabi it was clear he had no intention of interrupting her or defending the Hero Killer so she continued, "There was also the whole thing with attacking a bunch of kids…"

"And why does that matter?," Dabi started. He had sat forwards and she noted that this was the first time in the short time they've been acquainted that he looked actively engaged in anything, "They were U.A. students who stood in the way of his goal and intend to contribute to all the problems in the system when they graduate. Why not get rid of them early?"

"Heroes-to-be or not, I don't fucks with someone who's quick to go after some kids fresh off the playground. There's an inherent difference between someone actively participating doing something harmful and someone who has the potential to be harmful in the future. The goal shoulda been to dissuade the wannabe heroes, not just straight kill em." Solana could understand the knee jerk reaction to wanting to stop a problem before it began, but at the end of the day they were just kids. They had grown up in a system that said heroes were these amazing people so it was no wonder they wanted to aspire to that. Just because they got caught up in it, like everyone else, didn't mean that they couldn't learn better or that they were an immediate threat.

There was a moment of silence as Dabi contemplated her reply, he hadn't expected her to actually have put this much thought into the Hero Killer's actions. He had just thought she would give him a 'yes' or 'no' as to if she agreed with Stain or not, not a breakdown of the man's methods and how to improve upon them. There was just one thing she hadn't commented on that he had expected would've been the first point she made, "I couldn't help but notice you didn't say anything about the whole murder part…," he trailed off waiting for her to pick up the rest of the conversation.

Solana had purposefully been avoiding that part of the conversation hoping that her other observations would've been enough to appease him. Since he had first said the Hero Killer's name it was something that she had been struggling with, mostly because of how certain she was of the first thought that had occurred to her when she first heard of the Hero Killer and his goals, "If a culture thrives off violence then its best to speak in its mother tongue if you wanna send a clear message."

For a moment they simply stared at each other. There were no false names, no secrets, and no deception. they were just two people existing as they were without a false self or false pretenses.

"People will get hurt with that kind of mentality." She could tell from his tone that he wasn't truly bothered with her answer, that instead of just asking for what he wanted to know he was poking at her so that she will give him the information he wanted without having to directly ask or seem too invested in the conversation.

"I'm not a good enough person to care for people who will crush someone and then criminalize them for not being able to carry the weight. It's pointless to ask nicely for the people with they foot on our necks to remove it voluntarily, we'd be stuck waiting decades for things to change," she wanted to feel bad for what she was saying. She should've felt some amount of guilt for condoning violence against someone but she couldn't help but feel apathetic towards the whole thing. It wasn't as if people hadn't been calling the system out for what it was for years. People were constantly trying to draw attention to its shortcomings but no one cared to pay attention. The people in her community who she's worked alongside for years were used to being shut out and shut down when their concerns were brought up. The whole system all too happy to continue to knock people like them down and leave them and their communities gasping for breath not believing they are in as much pain as they are unable to say they are in. She grew up seeing how anyone who called out the system would be demonized and blacklisted from society, they were all simply written off as villain sympathizers and criminals. When there's no avenue available to present their case and be met with efficient and effective counsel on how to address the issues then they had to take matters into their own hands.

Dabi couldn't have hoped for a better answer. She had the drive and motivation, she just needed a push in the right direction.

"So then where do you go from here?" His question had snapped Solana out of her own thoughts and brought her back to the conversation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked with a dubious look sent his way.

"Well you're sayin that Stain's work needs to be continued, even if it does need to be cleaned up a bit. From what I've been hearing he worked with the League of Villains -"

"Oh, word?" she cut him off, "And that's supposed to help me how? Just cuz he fucked with em doesn't mean they got the same ideals," she said with a scoff and a roll of her eyes. Of course she had heard of the Leauge of Villains, everyone and they mama had. The attack on U.A. had certainly got them a lot of attention thought it certainly wasn't anything that had her too keen to be discussing them when talking about 'where to go from here'.

"Settle down, Sunshine," Dabi mockingly soothed and his grin only widened when she shot him a look for the pet name, "I was more of thinking we could help each other."

"Yeah? How you figure?"

"Well, I figured if you join the League then you could really send a message." His condescending tone didn't impress her and it had her puffing her cheeks out in frustration at being talked down to. Dabi got a kick out of her reaction and it was with great difficulty that he was able to bite whatever comment he wanted to make about her reaction and continue his train of thought, "Whatever other work your doing obviously ain't changing things very quickly and it sounds like you'd like to get things moving."

Solana didn't like that he was right. She really, really didn't like it.

"What are you, some type of recruiter?" She grumbled when she couldn't think of a way to refute his comment.

When the only response she got was a lazy shrug of his shoulders she continued, " I don't know them, let alone what their endgame is," she explained, "And why the hell would I join a bunch of villains with some stranger? In case you missed it I have a life outside of you and being involved with that mess ain't really high on my priorities." She was tryna get by at this point, her time was already spread thin and she knew joining the League would make her sacrifice the time she spent doing other things. She needed a roof over her head and rent paid so sacrificing work was a no go, the only other place she could cut time was with the work she was doing in the community already and her social life. The thought of making cuts to either one had left a bitter taste in her mouth.

However, that had not been the answer Dabi was looking for.

" Oh, I get it," he began, his voice raising slightly as if he had finally figured out the punchline to a joke, "You know you sure do talk a big game to just be a little conformist."

"Conformist?" She was astounded at the nerve of this guy, " Who the hell do you think you talkin to? Cuz it sure as hell ain't me." Never in her life had she felt more insulted by some random stranger. Her normally lilting voice had been raised and with the walls being as thin as they were in the building she was hoping there wouldn't be someone pounding on her door anytime soon with a noise complaint.

"Is there a nicer word you want me to use, Babydoll?" he jeered, "How bout pacifist? Or damn maybe even enabler if you really wanna -"

" Who the fuck are you walking into my home looking like some horror movie extra tryna lecture me on what I do-" She was so close to popping off when he interrupted her.

"What what is it then? Aren't you the one who said heroes are fucking things up? That sometimes you gotta be violent to change things? What's with the cold feet all of a sudden?"

Who was he to be asking anything from her? Let alone something like this? But he did have a point, even she could see as much in her anger. Sentiment without action was the ruin of the soul or however that saying went. She was talking a big game but wasn't delivering in a way that could provide direct harm reduction and material benefit to the people of the ward. The whole illegal activity wasn't really a concern for her, growing up in the ward she had run around with some low time villains and the likes, she had even been apart of some minor offences as well. But joining a league? If she got caught running with them it wouldn't just be a night in jail or a release on bail, she'd never see the light of day again. That and the social ramifications, she couldn't imagine what her family and friends would do if they found out she ran off to join a league of villains with some strange guy she picked up from the bar. She was known for getting herself into some questionable situations but this was a whole other level. But breaking a generational curse wasn't meant for the weak willed or faint of heart.

Taking a breath to calm her nerves she eyed Dabi, "What's in this for you? To go out of your way to get me to do this? What problem you have with heroes?"

"I've had some run ins with them and I agree with you and Stain. That's all you really need to know," he explained as he leaned back on the couch. She wanted to be pissed with how comfortable he looked posted up in a stranger's home talking about becoming a part of a criminal organization but she was more impressed if anything else.

"Kinda hard to trust someone who's already got something to hide," she said. There was really no reason for her to trust someone who wouldn't even give her his name, or at least a better alias than the one he provided. If he was going to lie to her he could've been more creative with it.

"We all have skeletons in our closet, Sunshine."

If he continued to avoid her questions Solana doesn't think she could see this getting very far, she'd kill him before they were even able to track down the League.

"How am I supposed to trust that you not gunna be out here throwing rocks and tryna hide your hand?"

"Well, faith is a virtue," he said, it was as if he was going out of his way to try and get her to kill him at this point.

"Funny, I didn't really take you for the virtuous type of guy," she huffed.

"Are you flirting with me?"

She was surprised by how well the staples were holding his face in place as his stupid grin threatened to split it in half.

"Look," she said with a trying sigh, "I'm not tryna get any kids a bunch of school kids ain't really something that I can overlook."

"So we get the League to lighten up on the brats," he said flippantly as if it was going to be an easy thing to do and her concern was unnecessary.

"I don't know you," while all her other issues had held weight, this was the one she was most concerned with.

Whatever lies they wanted to tell each other had died in their throats as they sized each other up. They both already knew what her answer would be, if she was being completely honest she had known what her answer would be from the moment he had brought the League up in the first place. Her issues with the whole thing were things that could be worked out, the main focus was that she wasn't opposed to the basic ideal of dismantling the hero society.

Solana had never been looking for answers from him, she had been looking for permission.

For years the work she was doing, while helpful in addressing the needs in the community to some extent, wan't doing shit to change the actual systems keeping the conditions the way they were. She always knew it would boil down to the use of violence, there had been no other way around it, she had just been stalling and waiting for someone to give her the green light. She'd never imagine it would come in the form of this man though.

"Good thing we'll be spending a lot of time together then," he response was smooth and the tone carefree but his eyes were steady and locked on her.

The atmosphere of the occasion was all wrong. When you make a deal with the devil there's supposed to be thunder, lightning, something to signify the road to hell she was taking her down. But as they observed each other in the apartment the only thing that could be heard was the sounds of children laughing in the streets and the noise pollution that happened every other day in the ward. The sun was setting and it illuminated his silhouette on the couch, she supposed that if there was no explosion or the earth opening up to swallow her she could settle for some dramatic lighting. '

"If you have me out here looking stupid I'll kill you," she finally said after a few moments and she knew she had sealed her fate.

"I'm sure you'd try," he said looking all too much like the cat that had eaten the canary.


End file.
